Midnight Cowboy Page #8

SALLY BUCK:

Expect me when you see me. Looks

like I got me a new beau, lover

boy, how's that for an old grammaw?

I'll leave you movie money...

Sally Buck tucks a dollar bill under a framed picture of

Jesus, who has replaced Woodsy Niles on the mantle.

INT. ROOM 1014 - DAY

As a fairy godmother's magic wand removes sticky hair spray

from a pretty model's head, Joe's quarter runs out and the

screen goes blank. At the same moment, the love song is cut

off by a singing station break "W-I-N-S NEW YORK" Joe rises,

flipping the dial of the radio to a cultured woman's voice

reading "...the Dow Jones averages, brought you by Morgan

Vandercook. Up your income with sound investment

counseling..."

JOE:

Up yours, lady.

... but Joe leaves the lady on, savoring the expensive sound

of her voice reading the stock quotations. Joe seats himself

at the desk, pleased to find a postcard photograph of the

hotel. He picks up a ballpoint pen, counts ten floors up from

the street and marks a huge X -- THIS IS ME, then turns the

card over, pen poised over the address blank.

INT. CAFETERIA SCULLERY - DAY

Ralph stares at the card, surrounded by dirty dishes.

RALPH:

Hell, he know I can't read...

INT. ROOM 1014 - DAY

Joe's pen wavers, starts to write and stops.

EXT. SALLY BUCK'S BEAUTY PARLOR - DAY

As we saw it last, deserted, a FOR RENT sign in the window.

Joe's reflection appears, staring at himself, dressed in his

dishwasher's clothes.

JOE'S VOICE

After all them dishes are washed,

what?

JOE'S REFLECTION

Then they bring some more dishes

and I wash them and then I, uh,

sleep some and then wash some more

dishes and then I...

JOE'S VOICE

Say it, lover boy!

JOE'S REFLECTION

Die.

INT. ROOM 1014 - DAY

Joe stares at the postcard, bemused,

JOE'S VOICE

Well, you better just shake your

tail, lover boy, and root, hog or

die.

Joe rises abruptly, rips up the postcard and tosses it out

the window.

JOE:

Goddam if I came to this town to

write postcards.

EXT. TIMES SQUARE - DAY

The torn fragments flutter down on the crowd -- a woman

brushing irritably at her hair -- a man grimacing, glancing

up -- a cop removing his hat to examine it.

EXT. TIMES SQUARE PALACE HOTEL - DAY

From a low angle -- identical with the postcard photograph --

an unseen hand scrawls a huge X--- THIS IS ME. Camera zooms

up to a close-up of Joe at the window.

EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - DAY

From on high -- as though Joe were watching himself -- the

Stetson moves through a crowd of Fifth Avenue shoppers...

EXT. GLASS BUILDING - DAY

... passing a glass bank, lady tellers counting money...

EXT. CAR SHOWROOM - DAY

... passing a display of imported luxury cars...

EXT. JEWELRY STORE - DAY

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